So the stimulus stated that prior to 1700, the standard of refusal was when the pilings could not be driven any deeper.

We learn that the builder of this bridge, built in the 1500s, met the contemporary standard of refusal, which was when the pilings could not be driven deeper than 2 inches after 24 hammer blows.

I wanted to pick C for this question with this being a must be true question.

We know that this bridge could go deeper than was initially built and that this was built prior to 1700. So don't we know that this bridge builder did not meet the true standard of refusal? Rather he met the contemporary standard of his day. I suppose C would be the right answer if it had said that this bridge builder built the bridge to a less strict standard than what was is considered the standard of refusal.

Shouldn't the correct answer, E, state contemporary in there? Since a true standard of refusal, as we learned is when it can no longer be driven further into the ground. So this guy did not meet that standard.

So the stimulus stated that prior to 1700, the standard of refusal was when the pilings could not be driven any deeper.

We learn that the builder of this bridge, built in the 1500s, met the contemporary standard of refusal, which was when the pilings could not be driven deeper than 2 inches after 24 hammer blows.

I wanted to pick C for this question with this being a must be true question.

We know that this bridge could go deeper than was initially built and that this was built prior to 1700. So don't we know that this bridge builder did not meet the true standard of refusal? Rather he met the contemporary standard of his day. I suppose C would be the right answer if it had said that this bridge builder built the bridge to a less strict standard than what was is considered the standard of refusal.

Shouldn't the correct answer, E, state contemporary in there? Since a true standard of refusal, as we learned is when it can no longer be driven further into the ground. So this guy did not meet that standard.

I think you are probably just mis-reading a word somewhere on this one.

C: there's nothing to suggest there were different standards for different bridge makers

E: we know that according to the standards of "refusal", you can still push down the pillars further, just not much. So it's kind of misleading to call it "refusal", but that trickiness is the whole point of the question. Since refusal here means it can't be pushed down more than 2 inches with 24 blows, Da Ponte could maybe gotten 3 inches with 100 blows.

In the beginning of the stimulus, however, we are told that prior to the 1700s, the refusal point was the point where they would not go any further. So don't we know that those contemporary standards were less strict?

Answer choice E depends on the definition of refusal? If it is talking about the contemporary standards of the builder's day? Yes.

If it is talking about prior to the 1700s, which in this case it is, the first sentence or two of the stimulus state that this assertion would be false.